Tottenham Hotspur Bid for Chelsea Target Mattia Destro Could Scupper Fernando Torres Move

Tottenham Hotspur have joined the race to sign Roma striker Mattia Destro in a move that could prevent Fernando Torres from leaving their London rivals Chelsea.

Jose Mourinho is open to selling Torres but has been unable to find a club for the Spaniard all summer.

Roma offered to take Torres to Serie A in a deal that reportedly involved 23-year-old Destro heading in the opposite direction.

But reports from Italy say Roma director Walter Sabatini has also been in contact with Tottenham technical director and friend Franco Baldini over the possibility of Destro heading to White Hart Lane instead.

Maurico Pochettino has just three strikers available, including 21-year-old Harry Kane, and had been linked with a move for former club Southampton's Jay Rodriguez.

The tug-of-war harks back to Spurs' attempt in August last year to take Brazilian midfielder Willian to north London, only for Mourinho and Chelsea to hijack the move and take him to west London instead.

Torres has fallen from grace since joining Chelsea from Liverpool in 2011 and finds himself behind summer signings Diego Costa and the returning Didier Drogba in Mourinho's pecking order.

He has scored just 45 goals in 172 appearances for the Blues since his £50m move and has at times looked a shadow of his former self.

Attempts to offload him this summer have been knocked back by clubs baulking at the 30-year-old's £180,000-a-week wage demands.

Wolfsburg have reportedly had offers rebuffed for Italian international Destro and with Sabatini in London, the likelihood is is that the former Siena striker would end up in the Premier League.

He did not make Italy manager Cesare Prandelli's final World Cup squad despite being in the provisional 30-man squad and representing the Azzurri at every level.